A chill at the polls: What will the weather be like on voting day?

A piercing chill and dense fog obscuring the sun until midday characterise the weather four days before the 12th national election. It is likely persist through voting day.

On Wednesday, the mercury dropped to 7.4 degrees Celsius in Panchgarh’s Tetulia, marking the season’s lowest temperature.

Md Azizur Rahman, director of the Met Office, believes that temperatures may dip even further by Jan 7.

A mild cold wave is currently enveloping northern regions, including Dinajpur, Panchagarh, and Nilphamari.

The Met Office predicts that this cold wave, accompanied by medium to dense fog from morning to midday, may continue in various parts of the country. The fog is likely to disrupt flights, river transport services, and road travel.

Although the temperature could fluctuate, the daytime weather will mostly remain cold for the next three days, the Met Office said.

Due to the dense fog, temperatures may feel like 2-3 degrees Celsius instead of the actual 7-8 degrees Celsius, according to Azizur.

The mercury will gradually dip by Jan 7, especially in Dinajpur, Panchagarh, Kurigram, Rajshahi, and Naogaon. Mild to medium cold waves are expected to hit the country during that time, Azizur said.

Previously, the Met Office’s long-term weather forecast indicated one or two mild to moderate cold waves in January.

A cold wave is defined as temperatures at or below 10 degrees Celsius. If the mercury lies between 8 and 10 degrees Celsius, it indicates a mild cold wave. When the mercury drops below 6 degrees Celsius, it is assumed that an intense cold wave is blowing through.